Past Life Martyred Saints

iTunes Editors’ Notes

On her first solo album, ex-Amps for Christ/Gowns member Erika M. Anderson — a.k.a. EMA — cuts a bold figure by revealing her scars and transcending her sorrows. Much of this compelling and sometimes harrowing work is delivered with chant-like solemnity, rising from near-whispers to aching cries of rage and longing. From the raw folk bleat of “Coda” to the corrosive vocal collage “Butterfly Knife” and the trudging, ominous “Marked,” these songs are confrontational in their intensity. The erotic visionary rant “California” points out Anderson’s debt to Patti Smith — but the throbbing industrial groove of “Milkman” confirms that she is very much her own artist. Amidst all the angst and recrimination, the prayer-like “Red Star” conveys a genuine tenderness. Co-producing the tracks with Leif Shackelford, Anderson allows for quiet spaces amidst the feedback swirls and slicing guitar strokes. Past Life Martyred Saints conjures weird spirits and exorcizes hungry demons, ultimately lifting EMA beyond martyrdom into a state of triumph.